TURA: Opposition to the proposed downscaling of the DDK in Tura is gaining ground with two new organisations from the region on Wednesday expressing their displeasure over the move.
The Tura Garo Senior Citizens Forum (TGSCF) has dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard while another student organisation — GSU, Eastern Zone, Williamnagar — expressed its strong opposition to the move.
“We express our displeasure and request you to kindly direct the concerned department to cancel the order for shifting of DDK, Tura, to the state capital, Shillong. DDK, Tura, has been catering to the interest of the people of Garo Hills and running smoothly without any adverse remark and giving entertainment, disseminating basic information to the local people as well as the people residing in the adjoining areas. We are unhappy to hear of its re-location which is the pride of the region,” the TGSCF said while reminding that the Coal India Company Ltd., which was already well established, was also shifted to another state the previous year.
The GSU, while lending full support to the GSMC, which had earlier opposed the move by the government to relegate the DDK, Tura, from a full-fledged station into a programme production centre, warned that the intent of the government was unreasonable which cannot be accepted by it.
The union recounted the violent incident that took place on September 30 in 2005, over the alleged bifurcation of the MBoSE which led to the loss of several innocent lives and cautioned that the mistake must not be repeated.
“The union urged the government to be judicious and sensible that any intent, which is discriminatory in nature, should not be purported, rather, it should be reasonable and instead upgrade the existing facilities which can immensely benefit the people of the region,” it added.